The Red Planet opus beat expectations with its debut, and brought most viewers back for part two this past Sunday, despite facing season premieres on Global and its sister CTV

Canadian Heritage has reassigned its director general of copyright policy amid allegations of conflict of interest, relating to the recent bill that criminalized camcording

CCI series to sneak preview amid Halloween shows. Toronto shop looking into format and toy deals

Vancouver toon house and Nelvana close deals for Being Ian and Class of the Titans across Latin America, Africa and Europe

At first glance, it doesn’t look so good. Senior executives in charge of digital media at the major broadcasters are leaving faster than you can say ‘convergence.’

Regina isn’t rolling out the red carpet for just one night when the Gemini Awards broadcast gala comes to town on Sunday, Oct. 28. The Saskatchewan production community is planning a week-long celebration to mark the first time the awards have been handed out in its province.

Change is afoot at Alliance Atlantis Communications, with word that senior executives Norm Bolen and Claude Galipeau will be pinkslipped and the short-lived experiment blogtv.ca is ‘winding down.’

Alberta-shot westerns and an already heralded doc about the horrors of Rwnada were among the Canadian-made winners at the recent Emmy awards.

The latest report from the CRTC came down hard on simultaneous substitution, arguing that inserting Canadian commercials into U.S. shows undermines homegrown programming and efforts of the entire industry to produce and promote it. CAB was as quick to criticize the report (‘irresponsible…without any rationale’) as ACTRA was to cheer (a ‘first glimmer of hope’). So we ask:

• The National Film Board has upped Tracey Friesen to exec producer of its Pacific and Yukon Centre, where she has worked since 2001 producing such films as Scared Sacred and Being Caribou.

• Peace Arch Entertainment Group has added seven films to its distribution slate. Headlining the list is The Last Hit Man, a mob drama starring Joe Mantegna, as well as the Jake Busey vehicle Time Bomb.